I was thinking about the movie caddyshack and how that little kid had to carry that huge bag. Then i thought, would 2 kids be able to carry that bag? So here is my question. If there were 2 straps on the bag, both kids were exactly the same hight, same distance away from the bag, same angle to the bag, same hieght of straps etc. (lets just say all the stars aligned on this one). Would each of the kids be carrying half the weight of the bag? Would it even be easier to carry at all? I have been very tempted to try this with my golf buddies but i am sure they would be weirded out. Thanks for replies, and for keeping my mind moving during summer break (can't get enough physics).
Question that has been puzzleing me
- Thread starter Cawchy87
- Start date
"That bag"?
One end of a golf club is heavier than the other. I don't know how heavy a golf bag is or what sort of kids these were, but the weight would be distributed at least to some degree.
One end of a golf club is heavier than the other. I don't know how heavy a golf bag is or what sort of kids these were, but the weight would be distributed at least to some degree.
it's more physics than statistics (unless you're using quantum mechanics to figure out the weight distribution of two kids carrying one bag, in which case it's both physics and statistics).
I agree that each kid would be carrying half the weight but the force on each kid might be considerably more than the weight of the bag. It depends on how they carry the bag. "Weight" in the English system of measurement is a force. When the bag is carried in a position where the force is other than straight down, such as each strap going off at an angle from the bag, the force on the kids is greater than the weight of the bag although the downward component of the force is equal to the bag's weight. This is why the natives in cartoons always tie the jaguar's legs together in pairs and run a poll through. Each native is experiencing the jaguar's weight as a force downward rather than at an angle as they would experience if they each grabbed two legs.
But walking could be a problem - if they don't synchronize their steps perfectly, the weight would move from one to the other, and might break their equilibrium (making them to fall).
Many times I choose to carry alone bags, so I won't have to synchronize with someone else
Calin
Many times I choose to carry alone bags, so I won't have to synchronize with someone else
Calin
gsellis
Diamond Member
- Dec 4, 2003
- 6,061
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Yeah, but it really the next class... Dynamics. It is easy in statics on level ground. What if kid A steps up a step while B stays in the same place. A has to increase the potential energy, pull against B possibly (or fight B if B really likes where he is), and may have the weight plus the additional force on A.
No wonder they invented golf carts
yup, as bigrod says, the force would be exactly split in half, otherwise there would be some force floating around..... and enough of this man made force could be dangerous...
conorvansmack
Diamond Member
- Feb 24, 2004
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The amount of force required to lift it would always be the same, but Calin was right in saying that the equilibrium would shift depending on how the caddies walked. If there was a way to maintain the bag in a completely stable state in which none of the materials inside moved around and the caddies synchronized their steps to keep the bag from shifting, then yes, I think they would each be carrying half of the weight.
Who picks it up first?
Who picks it up first?
bigrod
Senior member
- May 12, 2004
- 288
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The point was that they were exactly the same height and the straps were at exactly the same angle. The system is in equilibrium, so I answered it accordingly. There are of course infinitely many variations upon the problem if you want to consider it in a dynamic environment, but that was not the question.
LOL, your right, that would be scary! Thanks for the replies everyone and now i need to find something else to think about at work! The reason i gave that so much thought was because i have only completed grade 11 physics so we haven't learned about that yet and it was interesting. Otherwise you guys probibly think i am a moron.
Yes and yes.
Otherwise, the European swallows wouldn't be able to carry the coconuts with a strand of creeper under their dorsal guiding feathers.
Well now that that question is settled, here's another one for ya....why would 2 caddies want to carry the same bag? In all fairness, I'm an ECE, but I feel that philosophy also deserves it's time in the spotlight
The bag is not going to pull directly downward if it's hanging between them. In that case, yes they would each carry an equal amount of weight but they are likely expending more than 1/2 the energy each carrying it. There would be some added "work" overhead since they would pull against each other as they walk.
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